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Press Release | July 21, 2017

July 21: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

CJTFOIR


July 21, 2017
Release # 20170721-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA - On July 20, Coalition military forces conducted 28 strikes consisting of 54 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes consisting of 24 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed an ISIS oil storage tanker.
* Near Al Shadaddi, two strikes destroyed a VBIED and an ISIS-held building and suppressed a fighting position.
* Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed an ISIS pipeline and an oil tank.
* Near Raqqah, 16 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 13 fighting positions, two pipelines, and an oil tank; and damaged a supply route and an ISIS railway.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted eight strikes consisting of 30 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Al Huwayjah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building.
* Near Al Qaim, one strike destroyed a VBIED factory.
* Near Bayji, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three ISIS-held buildings, two vehicles, an ISIS headquarters, and a weapons cache.
* Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed a boat, a mortar system, a vehicle, and a tactical vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.
* Near Rawah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a fuel cache.
* Near Tal Afar, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a tunnel, a VBIED, and a vehicle.

Additionally, 22 strikes were conducted in Syria and Iraq on July 19 that closed within the last 24 hours.
* On July 19, near Kisik, Iraq, one strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.
* On July 19, near Rawah, Iraq, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an UAS and a vehicle.
* On July 19, near At Tanf, Syria, one strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.
* On July 19, near Raqqah, Syria, 19 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units; destroyed 34 fighting positions, two IEDs, and a VBIED; and damaged four fighting positions and a mortar position.

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria.  The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world.

This Coalition strike release contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing, or remotely piloted aircraft, rocket propelled artillery and ground-based tactical artillery.

A strike, as defined in the Coalition release, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect in that location.  For example, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined.

CJTF-OIR does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. The information used to compile the daily strike releases is based on 'Z' or Greenwich Mean Time.

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